Vaughn's Hall and Blacksmith Shop
N 43° 47.506 W 089° 19.761
16T E 312592 N 4851382
J.P. Vaughn was a blacksmith who, in 1912, built this two-story cement block building. Building materials new for the time - that of cast concrete blocks were manufactured right in Montello at Neck and Brothers manufacturing site.
Waymark Code: WM1X4M
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 07/24/2007
Views: 7
The downstairs floor was used as J.P.'s blacksmith shop and over the years became a garage, car dealer, and hardware store. The upstairs was used as a community center and still has many of the original features intact. Pressed steel panels of various designs from Victorian to arts and crafts to pieces reminiscent of the work of the Chicago architect Louis Sullivan.
Two of the most interesting architectural elements of the building are the cast concrete block and the pressed steel walls and ceiling in the upper floor.
When J.P. decided to add the upper floor as a community center, he sealed the deal that the building might one day be seen as important to the historical story of communities in the early 1900's. His hall competed with the opera house just a few blocks away.
The grand opening ball in 1912 featured the Lyric Harp Orchestra. Two months later a harvest ball took place and a week after that a leap year party. The list goes on and on with special events. The hall was also used for basketball, a fairly new sport at the time, a roller rink, and for moving pictures.
J.P. contributed to the business and social life in Montello with his blacksmith shop, which faced the changes brought about by the automobile and with his community hall. He kept working in his business up until 5 months before he died in 1928. He was 64.
The building is now home of the Montello Museum which will soon host the upcoming "Unearthed: Evidence of the first people of Marquette County" exhibit from August 11-November 25 with objects on loan from the Milwaukee Public Museum.
Street address:
55 W. Montello St.
Montello, WI USA
53949
County / Borough / Parish: Marquette
Year listed: 2007
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Blacksmith Shop and Community Center
Periods of significance: 1912-1940
Historic function: Community Center and Blacksmith Shop
Current function: Montello Museum
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Privately owned?: Not Listed
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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